Amit Shah cancels Karnataka campaign, monitors situation in Manipur

NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah, who on Friday cancelled his poll campaign engagements in Karnataka to closely monitor the situation in violence-hit Manipur, held another round of video-conferencing with chief minister N Biren Singh and the state government brass to review the outcome of steps taken on ground to ease tension and restore law and order.
Around 10 more companies of central paramilitary forces, comprising around 1,000 personnel, reached Manipur on Friday along with anti-riot vehicles. Flag marches were taken out through Friday across violence-hit pockets.
Sources told TOI that during Friday's review attended by Manipur CM, Union home secretary, DGP and chief secretary, Shah assessed the state of law and order in each district. A further course of action to mend the situation in areas still witnessing violence, was discussed. According to a senior central government officer, the situation has largely been under control in most districts for more than 24-hours, barring areas under 4-5 police stations where fresh incidents of violence were reported.
With the Centre closely involved in devising strategies to be enforced by the state government to restore normalcy at the earliest, two key appointments were made late on Thursday. Retired IPS officer and former CRPF chief Kuldiep Singh was appointed as adviser to the Manipur government "until further orders", as per orders by the Manipur governor. Also, the additional DGP (intelligence) in Manipur, Ashutosh Sinha was designated as the "overall operational commander to control and bring normalcy in the state". The order, issued by Manipur home department, added that Sinha would work under the supervision of Kuldiep Singh.
Though the appointment of a retired IPS officer as adviser and also issue of 'shoot-at-sight' orders by the governor and not the state home department, led to some speculation that the Centre had "overtaken" the law and order function of the state government, sources told TOI that all these decisions were taken with the involvement of the state government.
The consensus is that the appointment of a neutral expert as an adviser would help to bring the situation expeditiously under control.